


sweater weather

by AmyDancepantsPeralta



Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)
Genre: B99 Fall 2019 Fic Exchange, F/M, Fall goodness, Family fun in the park, Peraltiago, Sweater Cuddles, Trying, fluffy goodness, set in s7
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-27
Updated: 2019-10-27
Packaged: 2021-01-04 15:07:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21199664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmyDancepantsPeralta/pseuds/AmyDancepantsPeralta
Summary: Her face burrows into the fabric of his sweater, chest expanding as she breathes him in, and Jake’s smile grows bigger at the sight.He can still remember their first night together, how amazing she looked with her head against his pillow, the tiniest of smiles on her face as she mumbled that it smelled of him.  He knew he was a goner then, and he still is now.





	sweater weather

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kamelea](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kamelea/gifts).

> Surprise, Kasia @kamelea! I am your writer for the B99 Fall Fic Exchange, and I've taken your prompt of using the lyrics to Sweater Weather, by The Neighbourhood. (there is also a cover by Kina Grannis I would highly recommend)
> 
> So here is a fluffily sweet moment in the park with Jake and Amy ... I hope you enjoy! xx

**sweater weather**

Jake’s hands tap impatiently along the edge of his car’s steering wheel as he makes his way downtown, his eyes turning to the clock on the dashboard at regular intervals.The roads are relatively quiet, and staring at the numbers one more time, his foot presses a little harder on the accelerator.

He was running a little late, because he always was, but this time Jake had the legitimacy of a work-related issue up his sleeve.The perp that he and Boyle had been building up a case on had, in a moment of what the criminal _Kaminski _called weakness, but Jake and Charles called _stupidity_, decided to rob the bodega around the corner from their precinct, in the middle of the day.There had been so many credible eye-witnesses, most of whom worked within the nine-nine, that compiling statements had taken much longer than either of them had anticipated.So much so, that time completely ran away from Jake, and if he hadn’t glanced at his watch half an hour ago, his tardiness could have been a lot worse.

This afternoon was another Santiago family gathering - this time to celebrate Amy’s niece Mariela, who was turning seven.Thanksgiving was only a few weeks away, and he and Amy were hosting the family meal this year - their first time hosting together as husband and wife.There were notes and binders and recipes on every surface of their apartment, all in aid of Amy’s carefully scheduled preparation of the meal, and he would move hell and high water to make sure nothing about this year’s gathering would end in disaster. 

A smile begins to appear on Jake’s face as he thinks about his wife - about the woman that not so long ago would have appeared way out of his league.There was a time when Thanksgiving - _hell, all of the holidays, really _\- represented nothing but just another reminder of everything he didn’t have.But now, with Amy, he had a family.And what’s more, he had _hope_.

The sun catches his wedding ring when he swivels the car into park and he fiddles with the band, ring twisting as he checks his appearance quickly in the rearview mirror.Even after all these years, he still wanted to look his best for his in-laws - and being late _and_ unkempt would only set him back from the recovery he’d made since the evening of ‘_and another thing’_.Adjusting the collar of the sweater he’d thrown on back at the precinct, Jake gives his reflection a quick shrug, locking up and heading towards the party.

There was a slight downwards slope in the park the Santiagos had chosen for their festivities, giving Jake a vantage point as he approached.The sound of fallen leaves crunching underneath his sneakers was soon drowned out by the contagious squeals of children playing, familiar voices calling out _‘Tag, you’re it!’_ as they race around the playground attached to the picnic area.He spots Amy quickly, her smile standing out amongst the other adults as she pushes one of her nephews on a swing, and Jake feels tiny butterflies begin to hatch in his stomach at the sight.One day, someday soon, that might be Amy with a child of their own. 

Seventeen weeks and one day ago, he and Amy had been at Shaw’s, enjoying some post-work drinks - which in itself was nothing particularly momentous.And to this day he can’t explain it, but one minute he was at the bar ordering drinks for himself and his wife, and the next minute he was turning around, watching her laugh with friends, and he _knew_. 

That it was time.For them to start trying - to actively attempt to start a family of their own.It was as non-sensical as a crossword puzzle leaning him towards marriage, but this epiphany was as strong as the last.He’d pulled her from the bar less than an hour later, waiting until they were in the comfort of the four walls of their home before telling her how he felt.Her smile could have lit up the night sky, and by the same time the next day, there was a carefully laid out binder taking pride of place on the desk in their bedroom.

And sure - there was definitely an added bonus to Mega Organised Sexy Times, if only for it’s guaranteed increase in regularity (not that there was ever any problem in that department).But there was more to it than that.There had always been love between them - even in their most passionate moments, it was still about making _love_.Now, there was this added sense of anticipation - that maybe _this_ time would be the _right_ time, and that soon their family of two would become three. He’d be lying if he said that his fears had gone away completely - but he knew, more than anything, that this was his chance to fight away his doubts.Break the cycle, and prove to himself - and anybody that cared to listen - that he was _not_ his father.

As he nears closer Amy looks up from her nephew, face lighting up in a bright smile when she notices his arrival.She’s wearing the same dress she wore to the moonlight cinema last month (the selfie of them at sunset still holding prime position as his lock screen), covered in a denim jacket he’s seen a hundred times before, but she still manages to surprise him with her beauty.And he hopes that his heart never fails to skip a beat like it has right now, as she relegates Swing Pushing duty to somebody else before heading in Jake’s direction.

It occurs to him as he slows down his pace, meeting her halfway, that he had always loved the idea of holding the world within the palm of his hand, but nobody could ever have told him that the world would one day come in the shape of just one person. 

Amy leans in for a kiss when she’s finally in front of him, wrinkling her nose when she pulls away, and he knows its because of the Pumpkin Spice latte he had earlier at work.Jake loved the drink, and she decidedly did _not_, and the first time he’d had it after they had started dating, it had led to her instigating a Total Kiss Ban.It had lasted a total of three hours.The compromise, as so declared that day, was a compulsory follow-up mint, and he pats the empty pocket of his jacket in way of apology. 

The wrinkled nose smooths and she gives him an affectionate eye roll, one hand moving from his neck to his shoulder.“I’m so glad you could make it.”

“No place I’d rather be, babe.I’m sorry time ran away from me, though.”

Her hair swings with the breeze as she shakes her head.“I heard about Kaminski from one of my officers.Hard to believe he could have been so brazen.”

“Idiotic is the word I prefer to use.”

She giggles, and no matter how many times he hears it, he still feels a flush of pride run through him.“Same, same.” she responds with a smile.

He’s about to ask her how everything was going when nine-year-old Mason comes running up to them, the dirt smeared across his face doing nothing to conceal his smile.“Tio Jake, Tio Jake!You _gotta_ come see this fort me and Josh made!”

“A _fort?_Heck yeah, I gotta see this!”Jake feels Amy’s hand slide down his arm with a quick squeeze as he follows Mason towards the pre-built picnic table area, where an obvious extension fortified by spare chairs and blankets had been created.There’s a sense of fulfilment that runs through him whenever he gets called _Tio Jake -_ for the longest time, he had been certain that he would never been anybody’s Tio.And honestly, he’s never been happier to be proven wrong. 

His hand lifts one of the layers of the fort (only a Santiago gathering in at outside space could result in such an abundance of blankets), eyes widening at the contents inside - _action figures! there are SO many action figures in here! _\- and he turns to Mason with a grin.“This is awesome!” 

“Yah-huh!” He nods in agreement, grabbing Jake by the hand and pulling him into the fort with little regard for the height difference between Jake and the roof’s structure.Quickly, Jake ducks to his knees, desperate to avoid anything that could compromise the integrity of such great craftsmanship. 

It’s another half hour before Mason and three other Santiago children Jake had been playing with are called away from the fort, tiny legs racing towards the central table at the promise of pumpkin pie.Retreating from the fort, Jake talks to David briefly, trying his best not to notice the perfectly grown moustache Amy’s brother had begun to grow in support of Movember, simultaneously squashing any secret plans he had to try and grow his own.Despite Amy’s not-so-secret love for them, there’s no way he could cultivate such a look (besides, the undercover department of the NYPD actually had some perfectly acceptable fakes that were readily at his disposal).

Amy rescues him shortly after, deftly brushing off conversation of David’s upcoming Captain exam by telling him that their mother needed him for a specific duty.He departs in a haste, and she winks at Jake as he leaves, whispering that no such job exists, but she could tell that he’d had his fill of David for the day.She drops a chaste kiss to his lips, and Jake knew that she loved that he wasn’t the biggest fan of David’s, purely because _she_ wasn’t.

A cool breeze cuts through the surrounding trees, their limbs bending to submission while the once swept-up leaves begin to break free of their piles, and Amy shivers slightly.Instinctively Jake wraps his arms around her shoulders, pulling her closer and smiling as she eagerly snuggles her head into his chest. Her face burrows into the fabric of his sweater, chest expanding as she breathes him in, and Jake’s smile grows bigger at the sight.He can still remember their first night together, how amazing she looked with her head against his pillow, the tiniest of smiles on her face as she mumbled that it smelled of him.He knew he was a goner then, and he still is now. 

Amy lifts her head, blushing when she realises she’s been caught out, and Jake throws her a wink, tightening his grip around her shoulders.This was his favourite time of the year, the cooler air inviting snuggles at all hours of the day.Lazy sleep-ins wrapped up together encouraged - if not _demanded_ \- by his drowsy wife.Hot chocolates on the regular, extra marshmallows floating along the top of his mug without prompting. 

The idea that someone like him could have moments like those for the rest of his life, _still_ seemed crazy.But Amy was the only person Jake could imagine building a life with. 

There had been a lot of opportunities, over the past few years, to worry about what was to come.Speed-bumps that had been thrown at them by the universe:tests that came in multiple forms, all with the same purpose of pointing out what they already knew - that no matter what happened, Jake and Amy would always have each other.

He’d spent _countless_ hours with his toes digging into the sand of the beaches of Florida, back turned from the world he refused to an active part of.Kept his eyes trained on the coastline, forever wishing that a way to walk on water would present itself on command.If there was ever a chance to walk away and start all over again, it was in that overheated state with it’s ridiculously cold pizza.But whenever Jake felt at his lowest, his mind would turn to Amy, and how he knew she would be working on solving their case _right at that very moment_, and the memory of her smile - the one reserved for solving the most frustrating of puzzles - became his calm in the storm. 

And so he waited, for six long months.And she never left his mind for a minute. 

The brick walls of the prison cell that made up his home for eight weeks had been cool to the touch, the bricks just porous enough for Jake to be able to feel the anguish cries of previous residents whenever his hands rested against them.This time, he had two photos of Amy to keep him centred, positioned by his side just as she would have been at home, and by the time his freedom had been restored he had committed to memory every single pixel.And then, by the grace of all that is good, the real thing was standing in front of him in Shaw’s, offering to _buy a free man a drink_, and he knew that their forever needed to start as soon as possible.

And now, they were on the cusp of starting life’s biggest adventure together.There was so much left unknown about what their future could bring - one child, or many (although Amy drew the line at replicating her and her seven brothers).Perhaps they would raise a family of crime-fighting geniuses - the perfect combination of his determination and her brilliant mind forging an unstoppable team of protectors of justice.Or maybe they would be creators - dancers, chefs, singers and writers … all or none of the above, there was one thing that Jake knew that they would be.And that was happy. 

Moving behind Amy, Jake takes advantage of their height difference by wrapping his arms around her, pulling her back closer to his chest as they stand together, watching the Santiago cousins retreat from their parents and return to playtime.Amy’s hands are quick to rest against his, and even quicker to retreat under the cuffs of his sweater, soft fingers brushing against his skin, seeking warmth.He lets out a soft chuckle, burying his nose into her hair as she squeezes her hands around each forearm, and his grip tightens ever so slightly. 

Perhaps if he had known while in that strange Floridian universe where ATVs were standard modes of transportation and his hair represented a porcupine; that afternoons like this were waiting for him in the not too distant future, he would have tried a little harder to play the role of Larry Sherbert.Or maybe he would have jumped onto the next flight to New York, Figgis be damned, denying the universe any chance to keep them apart when together was _so much better._

There are just some things he’ll never really know for sure.His future with Amy was not one of them. 

Her thumb begins tracing patterns along the edge of Jake’s arm, and Amy’s touch brings Jake’s head back out from the clouds, focusing on the present as he hums in contentment. 

“It’s a pretty great view, isn’t it?” Amy asks, the smile on her face growing as she watches her niece Amelia tackle an unsuspecting Mason from behind.

Jake cranes his neck, watching his wife watch the children play, and her smile makes his.“The best,” he replies, and the tone in his voice makes her turn slightly until their eyes meet.Her face turns red as she blushes, one hand sneaking out from underneath his sleeves, pulling on the zipped edge of his jacket until they join in the middle for a gentle kiss. 

She sighs softly as they part, hand quickly returning to it’s original position as Jake rests his head against Amy’s.They’re silent for a long moment, before his wife breaks the silence. 

“You want to go back down to the fort, don’t you?” 

His lips twist into a grin.“I really do.”

She laughs, the sound of her giggles vibrating through to Jake’s chest as she pulls away from their cuddle.“Go on, then!”

“You’re the best Ames,iloveyousomuchokaybyeee!”His hands squeeze hers quickly as they part, throwing her his happiest smile as he runs back towards Fort Santiago.

* * *

Amy watches with a contented smile as her husband chases her nieces and nephews around the park, their excited screams bubbling into laughter as they near the now impressively large fort.There were a lot of things for her to be thankful for this coming Thanksgiving, but having Jake in her life was always going to be the top of her list.

She flicks the inside of her wrist slightly, eyeing off the time displayed on her watch’s face, and begins to plan their polite exit within the hour.This afternoon had been great, and time with her family was always important, but her period was five days late and there were nine different brands of pregnancy tests burning a hole in her purse.She wanted to go home, sit with her husband on the floor of their bathroom, and find out together if all the things they had been dreaming for were finally about to come true. 

She’d never been one for big adventures, until Jake had stumbled into her life, and now she can’t think of anything greater.Because with him by her side, she could take on anything.

The two of them were about to become three - she could feel it in _her heart of hearts_ \- and Amy couldn’t wait for their adventure to begin. 

**Author's Note:**

> Gosh I truly hope you enjoyed this - I'm a sucker for fluffy moments of tenderness like this!
> 
> Comments and kudos are always greatly appreciated. I love hearing what you think 💕


End file.
